Super
SoftwareWhen you add a
PC to your helm, especially one with remote Internet access, you gain
access to a world of new software programs and Web sites that can enhance
your time on the water.

In a
move that marks a first in the boating industry, Maptech began offering
its entire range of charting software for free at its Web site, maptech.com.
The company's new Mapserver program lets you log on, view, save,
print, and e-mail any of its nautical charts and topographical maps.

"It's
all about choice," according to Maptech president Ed Markham. "Boaters
can instantly get a screen image of a chart for free, or they can purchase
a Maptech CD-ROM that has up to 80 NOAA charts per CD." In addition,
the company offers to e-mail weekly chart updates to its customers.

Furthermore,
at the 2001 Miami International Boat Show, Maptech plans to start offering
real-time weather reports in a partnership with satellite-imaging companies
Echo Flight and Orbimage. The graphical weather reports will be delivered
over the Internet by subscription and can be overlayed onto live radar
screens or chartplotters. Report data will include sea-surface temperatures,
wave-height data, and wind speed and direction.

Weather
reports are also one of Raytheon's software specialties. In fact,
when it comes to integrating all your electronics into a PC, this electronics
giant is leading the way.

The
RayTech Navigator is a software package that combines everything from
chartplotting to depthsounding. For starters, the program's Weather
Animation Forecast, based on an international standard format and available
from RayTech's online weather center, animates evolving weather
patterns in six-, 12-, or 24-hour intervals. Another handy feature is
the Track Coloring chartplotting program, which lets you choose different
colors to indicate different tracks on a course. You can even store routes
and analyze courses during different weather conditions.

RayTech
Navigator displays a customizable Databox, which can be configured (and
placed anywhere on your computer screen) to show depth, wind, and speed
data. The program, which is compatible with all Raytheon SeaTalk instruments
or NMEA-approved systems, essentially lets you transfer your entire helm
to a single computer screen. But probably the best part of the RayTech
Navigator is that you can lay out a cruise at home. Before you head to
the docks, you can use your home computer to plot courses, analyze routes,
and research the weather. Then you can save all your data on a disk and
take it to the marinized laptop on your boat.

Of course,
wading through all this cutting-edge marine technology and deciding what
makes sense for your boat may be daunting. But it's worth it when
you consider the extent to which you can improve your boat and make your
cruises safer and more enjoyable.

Keep
this in mind: If you still doubt the power of PCs on your boat, you probably
once doubted the power of PCs in your office or your home. Take another
look. With hardware that's never been tougher and software that's
never combined more critical features, computers can make great cruising
companions.